Gig Harbor Garden Tour: Gardens worthy of a smile

For sun seeking flowers, plants and succulents, the two-day Gig Harbor Garden Tour over the weekend was tailor made with copious amounts of sunshine. The warm weather also enticed garden admirers out in large numbers to take in the sights and smells that seven local gardens had to offer during the 16th annual event to benefit literacy in Pierce County. From gardens overlooking the South Sound to those nestled deep into the woods, there was something for everyone, including Peninsula Art League artists on hand at each garden creating pictures with oils, pastels, watercolors and other mediums. New this year was the Pierce County Master Gardeners' Demonstration Garden at Sehmel Homestead Park. On the tally sheet being kept by Karen Larson at the garden, they had well over 500 visitors from Saturday to midday Sunday and still had hours left to go before wrapping up the tour. Proceeds from the self-guided tour go to benefit various literacy programs in Gig Harbor and Pierce County. Organizers of the Garden Tour are looking for new volunteers to help with next year's tour as well. For information, email to info@gigharborgardentour.org.

A small figurine gracing the garden at the Morkill home.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Gig Harbor resident Tami Figliola was at the home of Ingrid and David Hopkins Sunday with a view overlooking the South Sound.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Open green patches are intersected by a winding pebble walkway — all giving way to panoramic views of the Sound at the Hopkins home.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

The Hopkins home was designed to follow the sun from various viewpoints and meant to be low maintenance, said homeowner David Hopkins, such as a stepped waterfall feature.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Visitors to the Hopkins home stop to take in garden art and paintings by local crafters.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Unique handcrafted metal yard art provides whimsical — yet impish — grins at the home of Ingrid and David Hopkins of Gig Harbor.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Judy Bryant of Hansville sells glass art created from found objects. Her pieces stay intact longer as she drills them instead of using glue.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A crushed gravel path and well manicured shrubs welcome visitors to the home of Liz and Peter Morkill.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

The entryway to the Morkill home leads to an inner open-air courtyard that provides both comforting shade and warm sunshine.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

In keeping with a Mediterranean theme, there are a number of water features scattered around the Morkill property.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Gig Harbor resident and artist Feather Hilger, a member of the Peninsula Art League, uses oils to capture an image of the Morkill garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Like their neighbors, the Hopkins, the Morkill’s backyard also has an expansive vista overlooking the South Sound waters.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

From left, Katie Swickard, of the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, takes in the home garden of Victoria and Gary Smith with her friend, Sandy Cameron, of Kent.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Colorful and imaginative birdhouses are featured all about the property of the Smith garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

The lush greenery of the backyard garden of Victoria and Gary Smith provided ample shade and dappled sunlight for those walking the hilly contours of their garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A statue of St. Francis of Assisi presides over the garden area of the Smith home.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Colorful and imaginative birdhouses are featured all about the property of the Smith garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Peninsula Art League member Nan Feagin, of Fox Island, works on a pastel while at the home of the Smith family.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Like a Phoenix, a glass artwork rises out of the greenery of the garden of Karen and Al Mashburn.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

The Mashburn garden is a work of relaxation, with a small “greenhouse” where the couple can sit and enjoy the views of their garden years round, chairs and benches cleverly placed, and even a colorful hammock tucked back among the trees.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

Gig Harbor resident Cathie Johnson, a member of the Peninsula Art League, draws a pencil sketch of the Mashburn garden featuring a pond. She added a dragonfly as the insects were out in force on the sunny Sunday afternoon.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A concrete mermaid was a major stopping point for many who visited the wooded garden of the Mashburn family.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A water feature turns slowly near one of the ponds that dot the Mashburn garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A mural on a side building almost gets lost with the greenery surrounding it at the Mashburn garden.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

The Pierce County Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden at Sehmel Homestead Park features container gardens created and cared for by Master Gardeners.

Ric Hallock | Gig Harbor Life

A combination birdbath/sundial/garden art is clearly in its element amid the garden plots at the Sehmel Homestead Park demonstration garden.